Just a week before one of the most stacked and intriguing cards of the year in UFC268 at Madison Square Garden.
After a nine month absence, the UFC returned to fight island at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi with UFC267, and it certainly did not disappoint.
This card certainly ignited the return to Fight Island with a memorable event that created its own piece of UFC history, that will be remembered in the folklore of the company for years to come.
Coming just seven days before UFC268, the UFC267 card may have gotten swallowed up in the importance stakes during the build-up, especially when fans were looking at the November schedule and seeing what was on offer this month from the UFC.
However, it turned out to not just being a warm up or simply an appetiser for UFC268, but a well-executed, history making, hard act to follow event that not many expected.
Glover the great
When it was announced that Glover Teixeira would be fighting Poland’s Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight title, not many were totally excited at that match up.
Although it was an opportunity for Glover to make history and though he was capable, many, me included, did not think he had it in him.
Seven years after his last title challenge, a gallant effort against Jon Jones where he lost a unanimous points decision. In those sevens years, the UFC’s light heavyweight division has gone the glamour division to the also ran.
However, Glover was determined . I was expecting Blachowicz to eventually be too much for Texeira, but it again showed there is no substitute for experience.
Texeira came out determined from the first bell and took Blachowicz down within the first 90 seconds, he remained in that position for the duration of the round roughing the Polish champion up with clubbing blows in the ground an pound and sapping Blachowicz’s energy.
Blachowicz knew he had to come out the second round bright and he did try, but you could see the first round took more out of him than expected.
Glover then pushed the pace, made a few more take down attempts which Blachowicz stuffed but it was taking a lot out of him. Then to everyone’s surprise, Glover rocked Blachowicz with a left hand, to send him staggering.
Sensing an opportunity, Glover then closed the distance and went for the take down, which he got with little to no resistance from Blachowicz.
That indicated the beginning of the end as then Glover easily took Blachowicz’s back, and equally as easily, flattened the champ out.
He then synched in a choke and as quickly as that sequence started, Jan had tapped out.
Making Glover Teixeira, 3 days short of his 42nd birthday, the second oldest UFC champion in history. What a victory what a story.
Fight of the night
Petr Yan & Cory Sandhagen treated the Abu Dhabi crowed to an all action, brutal, gruelling and fitting fight of the night battle for the bantamweight title. The fight had the crowd on the edge of their seats throughout.
Although Yan clearly had the better of most of the exchanges, Sandhagen was in the fight throughout and kept Yan on his toes fighting for every second of every round.
However, the moment of the fight swayed in round three when Yan delivered a spectacular spinning back fist to the chin, followed up by a hook that dropped Sandhagen.
However, Cory did extremely well to whether the storm and not get stopped as Yan added more punches on the ground.
Sandhagen remained resilient in the fourth and fifth rounds but you could see Yan was just that one step ahead, as he started to counter and stopped Sandhagen’s attempts at a taken down.
The fight closed out with both fighters on their feet. giving it their all and fighting to the last bell to rapturous applauds from the crowd.
When it was all said and done Petr Yan picked up a unanimous, 49-46 on all three judges score cards victory to become a two time UFC bantamweight champion.
Makhachev the menace.
In the build up to this Islam Makhachev vs Dan Hooker fight, there had been talk about the Dagestan fighter being in line to fight for the title due his eight-fight win streak.
This is something that had been more shouted about by Khabib, who believes in the lightweight division, there is no other fighter more deserving.
However, he had a strong, durable and versatile striker in Dan Hooker in front of him who would be no push over…….We thought.
Previously someone had stated “it’s like a cheat code to have Khabib in your corner” and you can see why.
As the fight began, maybe it was by design, luck or just share skill, intelligence and the ability of Makhachev, but he managed to take Hooker down right in front of where Khabib was sitting.
As he smothered Hooker, yanking this arm, a few choice words from Khabib guiding him through and before you knew it Makhachev make it look easy, as he submitted Hooker with a kimura lock in under three minutes.
Hooker got up and threw his mouthpiece in sheer frustration knowing that he was soundly beaten by a better fighter and a master tactician. It’s now a nine fight win streak and those shouts from Khabib will be louder.
Cheeky Chimaev: The Phenom
In a sport that produces so many superior athletes, accomplished technicians and all-around brilliant fighters.
You have to be really special to get everyone in the sport in awe talking about you. Chimaev has done that with relative ease and has taken the UFC by storm.
After breaking the record for the shortest turnaround wins in the UFC (10 days) he followed that by with another record, winning his third fight in just 66 days, showing the world he could punch as good as he could wrestle as he knocked out Gerald Meerschaert in just 17 seconds.
His momentum was only stopped by a global pandemic as Covid took him out and hospitalised him on several occasions. Putting him out for a year.
His returned to the Octagon against the Chinese Leach, Ji Jingliang, looked a tough assignment. Especially after being out for a year.
The build up was lively, with most predicting a tough outing for Chimaev. Many were curious to see if the Chimaev train will continue or come to a screeching halt.
Well, all the questions were answered as soon as the fight begun. Chimaev went straight on the offensiv with a double leg and latched onto Ji.
Then to the crowds sheer amazement, he picked Ji up and walked him across the Octagon to have a chat with UFC president Dana White, while mounting Ji….
The end just seemed inevitable as Chimaev, while shouting a hollering at Dana, synced in a rare naked choke and put Ji out in just over three minutes. Amazingly, in Chimaev’s four fights in the UFC, he has out landed his opponents 112-1 in significant strikes and 254-2 in total strikes. WOW.
During the card there were also good wins for the charismatic Amanda Ribas in a unanimous points victory over Virna Jandiroba. and Lerone Murphy who knocked out Makwan Amirkhani with a lovely knee in the first round..
As stated, UFC267 stated as the new age curtain raiser for fight island, just to get us all started and an appetiser for highly anticipated UFC268 at Maddison Square Garden.
It ended up being for more reason than one, a history making, extremely enjoyable and much talked about event that only the likes of a card like the one at UFC268 could follow so closely after…..Its over to you UFC268, no pressure!
